Method and apparatus for separating fibers



y 1950 R. A. FAIRBAIRN METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR SEPARATING FIBERS Filed Oct. 29, 1946 Patented. July 4, 1950 UNITED STATES PATENT: OFFICE METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR SEPABATING FIBERS Robert A. Fair-balm, Needham, Mass. Application October 29, 1946, Serial No. 706,487

14 Claims. (CI. 19-65) This invention relates to the preparation and the removal or partial removal of coarse stiff fibers from cashmere, camel hair and fleeces of other animals which are comprised of relatively fine, soft, crimpy fibers and coarse stiff fibers or beard hairs, and it is in the nature of an improvement upon, or modification of, the inventions disclosed in my copending applications Serial No. 465,217, filed November 11, 1942, entitled Method and Apparatus for Separating Fibers," (now Patent No. 2,420,035) and Serial No. 582,852 filed March 15, 1945, entitled Means for Separating Short Coarse Fibers from Long Fine Fibers (now Patent No. 2,420,036).

The invention will be explained with particular reference to cashmere although it will be apparent to persons skilled in the art that it is equally applicable to camel's hair, vicufia, wool or to any other textile fibers comprising flne, crimpy fibers and relatively coarse, stiff fibers.

The principal object of this invention is to provide a novel method and a novel apparatus for separating coarse fibers from a mixture of coarse and fine fibers, r

A further object is to provide such a method and such an apparatus which is economical in operation and in construction.

Further objects will be apparent from a consideration of the following description and of the annexed drawing in which two embodiments of my apparatus are chosen for the purpose of illustration.

In the drawings:

Fig. 1 is a diagrammatic view in elevation, illustrating one embodiment of an appropriate mechanical apparatus having elements adapted to perform one embodiment of the method.

Fig. 1 is a diagrammatic view in elevation, illustrating a continuation of the apparatus of Q Fig. 1 and embodying elements adapted to perform another embodiment of the method.

Fig. 2 is a diagrammatic view in elevation, illustrating the several steps of the flexing method and indicating appropriate mechanical elements for an alternate form of flexing apparatus adapted to perform the flexing method.

The raw stock to be processed preferably is first taken from the bale in which it was packed in the country of its origin and is dusted and scoured for the purpose of removing as much sand, dust vegetable defect and natural grease as possible. The steps of scouring and dusting are not necessary but are preferred.

The stock is then fed to a machine which is adapted to open up the fiber and pull apart the 2 matted tips and cotts for the dual purpose of releasing additional entrapped impurities and disposing the fiber over the width 01.- the machine in an increasingly thinner web or film as it progresses along the length of the machine from feed to delivery. Such a machine may be a card or a garnett into which may be incorporated the special coarse fiber removing devices and mo- 3011s that are in part the subject of this inven- Referring to Fig. 1?, the feed is designated generally by the numeral I0. The feed consists of a hopper II, a spike apron I2, reciprocating combs I3 and Il', a scale pan I5, a feed apron or conveyor belt I6, feed rolls I1 and I'l a lickerin I8 and a-transfer roll I9.

After scouring and dusting, the raw stock, which consists of intermingled coarse stifi fibers, fine crimpy fibers, vegetable defect, dandruff and the like, is fed to the hopper II and is carried upwardly by the spike apron I2. The reciproeating comb I3 reduces the thickness of the layer of stock upon the spike apron returning the excess to the hopper II. The reciprocating comb I4 loosens the stock from the spike apron and causes it to fall into the scale pan I5.

When a predetermined weight of stock has accumulated in the scale pan I5 the scale pan bottom walls I5 and I5 are swung outwardly to the dot dash position shown in Fig. 1 and the contents of the scale pan is deposited upon the feed apron "if The bottom walls I5* ---I5 are then closed and the scale pan is thus prepared to receive another predetermined weight of the stock.

The stock is advanced by the apron I6 to the feed roll I1. The feed roll Il removes the stock from the apron and carries it to the bite of the rolls li -I l The stock is then advanced to the surface of the lickerin f8 which is a cylinder provided with the card clothing. The action of the teeth of the lickerin clothing pulling the stock from the teeth of the rolls I'I' ---II is the initial opening action of the apparatus. The lickerin I8 is rotated at a greater surface speed than the surface speed of the feed apron I6 and of the feed rolls II -II The ratio may be for example 4 to 1, the surface speeds of the feed apron by the action of the transfer roll 19 and it is passed or advanced forwardly to the surface of the breaker cylinder 20. This cylinder 20 is provided with card clothing and is continuously rotated in a clockwise direction looking at Fig. 1.

breaker cylinder by the dofier 20, the stock has been opened up and disposed in a relatively thin, even web or film F throughout the width of the face of the breaker cylinder 20, the fine and coarse fibers being intermingled in this web or film and crossing and recrossing each other.

The dofier cylinder 2|] is provided with card clothing the teeth of which point in the direction indicated and it is rotated in a counterclockwise direction at a smaller surface speed than that of the cylinder 28, the ratio being of the order of 1 to 10.

24 is a rotary brush provided at its surface with bristles which are relatively stiff and may be about one inch in length. This brush is rotated in the same direction as the direction of rotation of the doffer 20 and at a surface speed which is substantially greater than the surface speed of the dofiei' 20 for example I have found that the preferred surface speed of the brush 24 is from four to ten times greater than the surface speed of the doifer 20 and within the range of from about 400 to 1200 feet per minute. The brush 24 is as long as the dofier 20 so that it advances the entire width of the film or web F and, as illustrated, its bristles act on the back of the teeth of the card or garnett clothing of -the doiier.

The doffer cylinder 25 is provided with card clothing and is rotated at slower surface speed than the brush 24, the ratio may be of the order of 1 to 10. It removes the film or web F from the surface of the brush 24 and advances it to the stripper cylinder 26. The stripper cylinder 26 is provided with card clothing and it strips the film from the surface of the roll 25 and advances it to the brush 21. The stripper cylinder 26 may be rotated at a faster surface speed than that of the dofier cylinder 25, the ratio may be of the order of 2 to 1.

The rotary brush 21 is similar in construction to thebrush 24 and it removes the film or web from the surface of the stripper cylinder 26 and advances it to the surface of the cylinder 28. The brush 21 like the brush 24 may be rotated at a surface speed which is from four to ten times greater than that of the stripper 26, and within the range of from about 400 to 1200 feet per minute. Its bristles act upon the back of the teeth of the clothing of the cylinder 26.

The tips of the bristles of the brushes 24 and 21 engage the crimpy fine fibers while they are on the surface of the cylinders 20 and 26 respectively and since the brushes are moving at substantially greater surface speeds than the cyline ders 20. and 26, they straighten the fine fibers, remove them from the retentive clothing of the cylinders and advance them at a greatly accelstifl' fibers or beard hairs to be thrown downwardly and free from the film or web F substantially at the region of removal of the film or web from the surfaces of the cylinders 20 and 26. The removal of the coarse fibers at these regions is not the subject of this application but is covered by my copending application Serial No. 706,488, filed October 29, 1946, and entitled Method and Apparatus for Separating Fibers. The apparatus and method of this invention will function satisfactorily without inclusion of the brushes 24 and 21 and the cylinders 25 and 26 by merely substituting a transfer r011, like the roll IQ, for the elements 20, 24, 25, 26, and 21, said transfer roll being adapted to transfer the film or web from the surface of the cylinder 20 to the surface of the cylinder 28.

The cylinder 28 is provided with card clothing and is rotated in a clockwise direction at a greater surface speed than that of the brush 21; the ratio may be of the order of 2 to 1. Three sets of workers and strippers fil -29, fil -48 and 3I 3 l are mounted above the cylinder 28. The workers 29 60 and iii are driven at a slower surface speed than that of the cylinder 28; the ratio may be of the order of 1 to 15. The strippers 29, 30 and 3| are driven at a faster surface speed than the workers; the ratio may be of the order of 5 to 1.

The action of each worker upon the film or web F is called working. The outermost layer of fibers in the film or web is thrown into the teeth of the worker by the cylinder 28 and the faster moving teeth of the cylinder 28 straighten out the fine and the coarse fibers by pulling or extending them in the direction of rotation of the cylinder 28. As soon as the fibers retained by the teeth of the worker have been pulled free from engagement with the teeth of the cylinder 28 most of the fine crimpy fibers, due to their natural crimpiness, retract to approximately one third of the length to which they were extended by the mechanical action of the teeth of the cylinder 28 and they assume a position which is generally adjacent to the tips of the teeth of clothing of the worker. Many of the coarse stiff fibers, however, continue to project outwardlyfrom the surface of the worker and from the retracted fine fibers on the worker.

The fibers are advanced in this position by the worker 29 to the bite of the gripping rolls 32 -32 These gripping rolls are mounted an appropriate distance .from the surface of the worker 29 so that they will grip the projecting portions of the coarse stiff fibers at their bite and will allow the majority at least of the retracted fine fibers which are closer to the surfaces of the worker to pass the gripping rolls without being gripped. The gripping rolls 32 32 are rotated in opposite directions and carry off the projecting coarse fibers gripped by their bite. The worker 29 is rotated continuously in a counterclockwise direction and the combination of such rotation and the withdrawing action of the gripping rolls 32 -32 causes the gripped coarse fibers to be withdrawn from the film or web on the surface of the worker 29. These gripping rolls may also withdraw a few fine fibers which project outwardly with the coarse fibers.

The two sets of gripping rolls 33 -33 and M -34 function in the same manner as the gripping rolls 32*---32 so that additional coarse fibers are withdrawn from the film or web F as it progresses forwardly along the surface of the cylinder 28. The-strlppers 29 30 and 3| function in the usual way to strip the web or film from the corresponding workers and return it to the main web or film F on the surface of the cylinder 28.

Although in the usual card or garnett the cylinder 28 advances the film or web upwardly, forwardly and downwardly as illustrated and the workers and strippers are located above the cylinder, in the practice of this invention the cylinder may advance the film downwardly, forwardly and upwardly and the workers and strippers may be located beneath the cylinder in such manner as to cause portions of the coarse stiff fibers to project beyond the fine fibers so that they are gripped by the gripping rolls.

The dofier cylinder 35 removes the film or web F from the surface of the cylinder 28 and the reciprocating doffer comb 38 removes the film from the surface of the doflfer cylinder 35 and deposits it upon the surface of the conveyor belt 31 (Fig. 1 The surface speed of the doffer 35 is slower than that of the cylinder 28; it may be of the order of 1 to 10; and portions of a plurality of the coarse fibers are caused to project outwardly beyond the crimpy fine fibers at the surface of the web or film as a result of the working action of the doifer at the place of transfer of the web or film from the cylinder 28 to the doffer 35.

The film or web F is advanced by the conveyor belt 31 to the surface of the rotary roll 38. Thence it is advanced to the surface of the conveyor belt 39 beneaththe rotary feed roll 48 and forwardly on the surface of the conveyor belt 33.

The roll 38 which is continuously driven in a counterclockwise direction flexes the film or web as the film or web moves upwardly in contact with its surface. During this flexing action the majority of the crimpy fine fibers remain relatively close to the surface of the roll 38 in their naturally retracted position and the flexing ac-,

tion causes many of the coarse stiff fibers to project outwardly beyond the majority. at least of the retracted fine fibers. The projecting portions of the coarse fibers are gripped by the bite of the oppositely rotating gripping rolls 42 -42 and are thus withdrawn from the web or film F. This gripping and withdrawing action is the same as described above in connection with the gripping rolls 32 -32".

As the web or film progresses upwardly from the roll 38, it is flexed in the opposite direction by the action of the belt 39 and the continuously rotated roll 4|. This flexing action causes other coarse fibers to project outwardly beyond the majority of the retracted fine fibers of the film or web and the projecting portions of such coarse fibers are gripped by the bite of the conveyor belts 43 -43 which are continuously driven in the direction of the arrows by the rolls 44 -44" deposited in the container 46. The gripping and withdrawing action of the conveyor belts 43*--43 is the same as that of the gripping rolls 42 -42 and 32-32".

While I have shown in one apparatus the use of gripping means combined with workers and the use of gripping means combined with web flexing means, it will be apparent to persons skilled in the art that the apparatus will function satisfactorily utilizing only workers and it will also function satisfactorily utilizing only flexing means. The gripping means may consist either of gripping rolls, gripping conveyor belts or other equivalent gripping devices.

The number of gripping operations required depends upon the percentage of coarse hair present in the stock and the extent to which it is desired to remove the coarse hairs from the fine hairs and also upon whether or not auxiliary coarse fiber removing means is combined in the apparatus, for example, the rotary ,brush arrangement 20, 24, 25, 28, and 21.

The apparatus illustrated in Fig. 2 is an alternative fiexing apparatus. The film or web F is of the character produced by a card or garnett in which the coarse and fine fibers are intermingled and cross and recross each other. It is continuously advanced between the bite of oppositely rotating feed rolls 5ll-5I, along the surface of the flexing plate 52, between the bite of the feed rolls 53-54, along the surface of the flexing plate 55 and between the bite of the feed rolls 55-51. The flexing plates 52 and 55 are each formed of a metal plate bent longitudinally to form an angle, for example a right angle as illustrated inFig. 2.

As the film or web F is advanced about the angle of the plate 52, it is flexed and this flexing action causes many of the coarse stiff fibers to project outwardly beyond the majority at least of the retracted fine fibers. The projecting portions of the coarse fibers are gripped by the bite of the conveyor belts 58-59, withdrawn from the film or web and deposited in the container 58.

As the film or web is advanced about the angle of the plate 55 additional coarse fibers are caused to project outwardly and they are gripped by the oppositely rotating gripping rolls til-'52 and are withdrawn from the film or web.

The number of coarse fibers which are caused to project may be controlled by varying the angle between the two portions of each flexing plate.

The feed rolls 53-54 may be driven at the same surface speed as that of the feed rolls 58-5l or at a greater surface speed. The feed rolls 56-51 may be driven at the same surface speed as that of the rolls 53-54 or at a greater surface speed.

The conveyor belt 39 (Fig. 1*) may be driven at the same or a greater surface speed than that of the roll 33 and the roll 38 may be driven at the same or a slightly greater surface speed than that of the conveyor belt 31.

' While I have shown and described two desirable methods and two desirable embodiments of the apparatus embodying my invention, it is to be understood that this disclosure is for the purpose of illustration only and that equivalent forms of the apparatus may be used, and the sub- I stitution of equivalent method steps may be made It is unnecessary that the web or film be adby varying the radius of curvature of'the flexing rolls.

without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention as set forth in the appended claims.

I claim:

1. Method of preparing for textile use cashmere and similar fibers including intermingled coarse and fine fibers which comprises, forming the fibers into a film or web, flexing the film or web to cause portions of a plurality of the coarse 7 fibers to project outwardly beyond the fine fibers, gripping said projecting portions of the coarse fibers as by the bite of a pair of contacting rolls rotating in opposite directions andwithdrawing the gripped coarse fibers.

2. Method of preparing for textile use cashmere and similar fibers including intermingled coarse and fine fibers which comprises. forming the fibers into a film or web, flexing the film or web to cause portions of a plurality of the coarse fibers to project outwardly beyond the fine fibers, concomitantly advancing the fiexed film or web through a gripping zone and gripping said pro- ,jecting portions of the coarse fibers as by the bite of a pair of contacting rolls rotating in opposite directions, whereby the gripped coarse fibers are withdrawn.

3. Method of preparing for textile use cashmere and similar fibers including intermingled the fibers into a film or web, flexing the film or web to cause portions of a plurality of the coarse fibers to project outwardly beyond the fine fibers,

concomitantly advancing the flexed film or web adjacent to the bite of a pair of gripping belts and gripping said projecting portions of the coarse fibers at the bite of said gripping belts whereby the gripped coarse fibers are withdrawn.

5. Method of preparing for textile use cashmere and similar fibers including intermingled coarse stiii fibers and fine crimpy fibers which comprises forming the fibers into a film or web, carding the film or web to cause portions of a plurality of the coarse fibers to project outwardly beyond the fine fibers as a result of the working action of the carding, gripping said projecting portions of the coarse fibers as by the bite of a pair of contacting rolls rotating in opposite directions and withdrawing the gripped coarse fibers.

6. Method of preparing for textile use cashmere and similar fibers including intermingled coarse stiif fibers and fine crimpy fibers which comprises forming the fibers into a film or web, carding the film or web to cause portions of. a plurality of the coarse fibers to project outwardly beyond the fine fibers as a result of the working action of the carding, advancing the worked film or web through a gripping zone, gripping said projecting portions of the coarse fibers as by the bite of a pair of contacting rolls rotating in opposite directions and withdrawing the gripped coarse fibers.

7. Method of preparing for textile use cashmere and similar fibers including intermingled coarse stiff fibers and fine crimpy fibers which comprises forming the fibers into a film or web, carding the film or web to cause portions of a plurality of the coarse fibers to project outwardly beyond the fine fibers as a result of the working action of the carding, advancing the worked film or web adjacent to the bite of a pair of gripping rolls and gripping said projecting portions of the coarse fibers at the bite of said gripping rolls,

8. Method of preparing for textile use cashmere and similar fibers including intermingled coarse stiff fibers and fine crimpy fibers which comprises forming the fibers into a film or'web, carding the film or web to cause portions of a plurality of the coarse fibers to project outwardly beyond the fine fibers as a result of the working action of the carding, advancing the worked film or web adjacent to the bite of a pair of gripping belts and gripping said projecting portions of the coarse fibers at the bite of said gripping belts, whereby the gripped coarse fibers are withdrawn.

9. Method of preparing for textile use cashmere and similar fibers including intermingled coarse and fine fibers which comprises forming the fibers into a film or web, advancing the film or web and concomitantly displacing portions of the coarse fibers outwardly from the adjacent fine fibers as by carding the film or web and advancing it in an outwardly convex path whereby said portions of the coarse fibers are caused to project outwardly beyond said fine fibers, gripping said projecting portions of the coarse fibers as by the bite of a pair of contacting rolls rotating in opposite directions and concomitantly withdrawing the gripped coarse fibers from the film or web, and conducting the withdrawn fibers to a locality which is spaced from the film or web thereby segregating them.

10. Method of preparing for textile use cashmere and similar fibers including intermingled coarse and fine fibers which comprises forming the fibers into a film or web, advancing the film or web and concomitantly displacing portions of the coarse fibers outwardly from the adjacent fine fibers as by carding the film or web and advancing it in an outwardly convex path whereby said portions of the coarse fibers are caused to project outwardly beyond said fine fibers, advancing the fibers adjacent to the bite of a pair of contacting gripping members moving in opposite directions and gripping said projecting portions of the coarse fibers at the bite of said gripping members whereby the gripped coarse fibers are withdrawn from the film or web, and conducting the withdrawn fibers to a locality which is spaced from the film or web thereby segregating them.

11. Apparatus for, separating cashmere and similar fibers including intermingled coarse stiff fibers and fine crimpy fibers comprising fiber gripping means, such as the bite of a pair of contacting rolls, fiber carding means including a cylinder provided with card clothing, a worker adjacent to the periphery of said cylinder, means for rotating said cylinder and means for rotating said worker thereby to form a carded film or web wherein portions of a substantial number of the coarse fibers are caused to project outwardly beyond the majority at least of any projecting portions of the adjacent fine fibers of the film or web, web advancing means for advancing a carded web or film to said fiber gripping means in an outwardly convex path wherein portions of a substantial number of the coarse fibers project outwardly beyond the majority at least of any projecting portions of the adjacent fine fibers of the film or web, said fiber gripping means being mounted with its fiber gripping zone substantially parallel to a generatrix of said outwardly convex path of the carded film or web and spaced outwardly from the fibers lying on the outer surface of the film or web a distance which is less than the projecting length of a majority at least of the projecting portions of the coarse fibers and whereby the gripped coarse fibers are withdrawn. 15 greater than the projecting length or a majority fiber gripping means comprises the bite of a pair 1 of contacting rolls rotating in opposite directions.

13. The combination of claim 11 wherein the web advancing means comprises a-curved surface 10 upon which the carded web or film is advanced in the outwardly convex path.

'14. The combination of claim 11 wherein the fiber gripping means comprises a driven belt.

ROBERT A. FAIRBAIRN.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Name Date Broome Nov. 28, 1916 Number 

1. METHOD OF PREPARING FOR TEXTILE USE CASHMERE AND SIMILAR FIBERS INCLUDING INTERMINGLED COARSE AND FINE FIBERS WHICH COMPRISES, FORMING THE FIBERS INTO A FILM OR WEB, FLEXING THE FILM OR WEB TO CAUSE PORTIONS OF A PLURALITY OF THE COARSE FIBERS TO PROJECT OUTWARDLY BEYOND THE FINE FIBERS, GRIPPING SAID PROJECTING PORTIONS OF THE COARSE FIBERS AS BY THE BITE OF A PAIR OF CONTACTING ROLLS ROTATING IN OPPOSITE DIRECTIONS AND WITHDRAWING THE GRIPPED COARSE FIBERS. 